Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters has achieved a rare feat in the global music industry, outpacing K-pop giants BTS on Spotify and debuting in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, making it the only soundtrack released in 2025 to secure a spot on the prestigious chart.
A Historic Billboard Debut
On June 29, Billboard confirmed that the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack entered the Billboard 200 at No. 8, marking the highest debut for any soundtrack in 2025. This achievement breaks a months-long dry spell for soundtracks on the chart, with the last comparable entry being the Wicked film soundtrack, which debuted in late 2024 and remained the only soundtrack in the Billboard 200 Top 10 through the first half of 2025. The KPop Demon Hunters album recorded 31,000 equivalent album units in its first week—27,000 from streaming, 3,000 from digital album sales, and 1,000 from track equivalent album units.
Spotify Supremacy: Surpassing BTS
The soundtrack’s success is not limited to album charts. Songs from KPop Demon Hunters have made waves on Spotify’s global charts, with the fictional boy band Saja Boys’ track “Your Idol” peaking at No. 8 on the U.S. Spotify chart—an achievement previously only matched by BTS among Korean boy groups. “Your Idol” also reached No. 35 on the Global Spotify Chart, racking up over 2 million streams in a single week. The film’s fictional girl group Huntrix also saw massive streaming numbers, with their song “Golden” achieving 3.45 million streams.
Out of the top eight K-pop songs on the Global Spotify chart during the week, seven were from the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, underscoring its dominance over even real-world K-pop acts.
Star Power and Production
Contributions from major K-pop figures bolster the soundtrack’s authenticity and appeal. Members of TWICE—Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung—feature on original tracks, and the album includes production credits from industry heavyweights such as Teddy, Lindgren (BTS’s “Boy With Luv”), and Jenna Andrews (BTS’s “Dynamite” and “Butter”). The blend of real K-pop stars and fictional groups like Huntrix and Saja Boys has resonated with fans worldwide.
Cultural Impact
KPop Demon Hunters has not only topped Netflix charts in over 22 countries but has also become a trending topic on social media, with fans praising both its animation and its music. The film’s soundtrack is now the only 2025 release to break into the Billboard 200’s Top 10, setting a new benchmark for animated film music and K-pop-inspired projects.
With its chart-topping performance and global fanbase, KPop Demon Hunters has firmly established itself as a cultural and musical phenomenon, rivaling even the most established names in K-pop.
